McClain: Texans’ offense chugs to postseason in reverse

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One drive in the third quarter was a microcosm of how pathetic the Texans’ offense was against Minnesota on Sunday and how maddeningly inconsistent it has been in recent games.

At a time of the season when a playoff team’s offense is supposed to be running like a sleek sports car, the Texans are coughing and sputtering like a lemon in need of an overhaul.

The 23-6 loss to Minnesota didn’t ruin Christmas for everybody — the Texans can still clinch home field in the playoffs with a win next Sunday — but it did feel like a head butt.

Let’s look under the hood and check out the problem. Trailing 16-3, the Texans faced first-and-goal at the Minnesota 1-yard line. A touchdown would pull the Texans within 16-10 and give them some much-needed momentum.

Arian Foster, who runs for more red-zone touchdowns than any other back in the NFL, was in the dressing room because of an irregular heartbeat. No problem. The Texans needed only a yard, thanks to Matt Schaub’s 12-yard pass over the middle to Kevin Walter.

One series says it all
Three plays later, the Texans were on their 15, and they had to settle for Shayne Graham’s second field goal, a 33-yarder.

“It was ugly,” coach Gary Kubiak said about the most inept series of the season. “We made things really bad on ourselves.

“We had a play we worked on all week, and we busted that. So that’s a throw-away. On second down, we run our top run, and we lose a yard. On third down, we check to a play, and we take a 15-yard sack.”

Yikes! Vikes!

Schaub wanted to throw to tight end Owen Daniels on first down, but the Vikings had him covered, and the quarterback threw it away. Ben Tate, subbing for Foster, was stopped for no gain by defensive tackle Kevin Williams. On third down, Schaub was chased out of the pocket and sacked by Fred Evans, a backup defensive tackle.

“Not good,” Kubiak said. “I don’t know what else to tell you — not good at all.”

Schaub, who has one touchdown pass in two games, took the blame.

“I shouldn’t take a sack down there,” he said. “I should get rid of that football. We had a chance, but we hurt ourselves. We have to execute and have a killer instinct down there.”

In their victory over Indianapolis last week, the Texans were in the red zone five times and scored one touchdown.

Still, they ranked eighth in red-zone touchdowns going into the Minnesota game and first in red-zone scoring.

Season lowlights
That third-quarter series was the only time they reached the red zone against the Vikings, who limited the Texans to 187 yards, including 34 rushing.

It was the first time the Texans failed to score a touchdown since Schaub became their quarterback in 2007. They had gone 106 games scoring more than six points.

“We played horrible on offense,” said receiver Andre Johnson, who had seven catches for 97 yards.

With his fourth 100-catch season, Johnson joins a group tied for second behind Wes Welker’s five.

“The running game starts the offense, and everything else works off that,” left tackle Duane Brown said. “Obviously, we came out flat, without the intensity and sense of urgency that was needed.”

Brown said it all. For a veteran team to come out flat without a sense of urgency when it has a chance to earn home-field advantage is inexcusable.